Kaohsiung (traditional Chinese: 高雄; Tongyong Pinyin: Gaosyóng; Hanyu Pinyin: Gāoxióng; Wade-Giles: Kao-hsiung ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ko-hiông; old names: Takao, Takow, Takau) is a city located in southwestern Taiwan. It is enclosed by the Kaohsiung County, and faces the Taiwan Strait on the west. As one of two Direct-controlled municipalities under the administration of Republic of China (ROC), Kaohsiung is officially named as the Kaohsiung City, a province-level political division. It is divided into eleven districts, each with an office.